Pentagon Developing Underwater Sub Drones

The Pentagon is hoping to one day be able to patrol the seas with unmanned submarine drones, according to website RT.com.

The website reports that the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded a contract valued at more than $58 million to Science Applications International Corporation of McLean, Va. to perfect similar technology for the sea that has proved so successful in the air.

“The growing number of adversaries able to build and operate quiet diesel electric submarines is a national security threat that affects U.S. and friendly naval operations around the world,” stated DARPA, according to RT.com, which noted that the technology is still in the early stages of testing.

DARPA is aiming to hold the first test runs of its sub drones by mid-2015 if the four-stage development program goes according to plan.

Competing technology is already being developed by hostile forces with the potential for use against the U.S.

Aerial drones have played a key role in the war on terrorism and officials believe that the sub drones could play a significant role in responding to any number of naval threats, including the growing number of stealth subs that are believed to be used to move narcotics from Central America to American shores.

RT.com also noted that a nuclear-powered Russian attack submarine was recently spotted within 200 miles of the U.S.